


Rising Tides

by moviefan_92



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Tragedy, Comfort, Comfort/Angst, Declarations Of Love, Drama & Romance, Dysfunctional Family, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family, Family Drama, Family Feels, Fantasy, Female Friendship, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Goddesses, Gods, Heavy Angst, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Little Mermaid Elements, Long-Distance Friendship, Love, Male Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Pirates, Pirates of the Caribbean References, Post-Curse of the Black Pearl, Romance, Romantic Friendship, Supernatural Elements, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 14:16:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16996578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moviefan_92/pseuds/moviefan_92
Summary: One-shot. Takes place right after the 4th movie.This reveals what becomes of Phillip and Syrena, how Will and Bootstrap are doing and what the future holds for them, what happened to the crew of the Black Pearl after Blackbeard sank it, and some insight on Davy Jones and Calypso's past together.Romance/Fantasy/Adventure/Family/Drama/Angst/Supernatural/Friendship/Hurt & Comfort/Tragedy. Pairings: Phillip and Syrena, Will and Elizabeth, Davy Jones and Calypso.STORY COMPLETE





	Rising Tides

**Author's Note:**

> (A/N: I wanted to do a Pirates of the Caribbean fic for a while now. I came up with this one shortly after seeing the fourth one in theaters. It's just a short one-shot, and I plan on doing a full-length story later. This one takes place right after the fourth one left off. It provides further insight to Davy Jones and Calypso's past, what becomes of Phillip and Syrena, and what Will and his father are doing and what their future hold in regards to the Flying Dutchman and Elizabeth. Since this story has no definite leading characters, I wasn't sure who to put list this story under in the character section. I decided to go with Syrena and Phillip rather than Will and Bootstrap since it shows what happens to them first, and they're in it a little bit more. I wasn't so sure what to call this story, and I'm open for better names.)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing

**Originally posted on 12/12/12 at: _<https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8789236/1/Rising-Tides>_**

 

 

**" RISING TIDES"**

She sped through the water, dragging her bleeding cargo. There was precious little time. The cut may not have been too bad, but it was bleeding at an alarming rate. He had already lost a lot of blood trying to get to her after Captain Edward Teach, more commonly known as Blackbeard, had left her to tied up to die, half on land, half in the water.

It was a long and painful death for her kind. While in her mermaid form, she needed to be in the water in order to survive. Sure, she may breathe air, but she was a creature of the sea, the same way whales and dolphins were, even though they too breathed air. Should she ever end up on land, for whatever reason, her tail would change into human legs until she was back in the water again. This was so she could either get back in the water if she were washed up on land for some reason or another, or so she could pretend to be a normal human in order to lure others close before grabbing them and diving into the water where she would make a meal out of them.

She may survive longer on land in human form, but she would eventually die in a few hours the most, not to mention it was incredibly uncomfortable to begin with, which is why merfolk stayed in the water, even when hunting, so they had established better ways to catch their human prey, such as with seaweed lassos.

But the thought of eating humans was utterly repulsive to her. Though most merfolk found the flesh of humans to be a rare and delicious delicacy, they were too closely related to her kind for her to be able to stand eating one. She instead ate other things in the sea, such as fish, oysters, crabs, lobster, squid, shrimp, seaweed, or any of the other countless edible things the ocean provided.

Still, she couldn't stop her sisters from hunting. Instead, she would join the hunt in order to save those she felt were good people from falling prey to her fellow mermaids. And that was how she met  _him_.

The sound of singing and man-made light was tempting to a mermaid, similar to a moth being drawn to a flame. Tamara, the leader of their coven, had led the attack, taking the sailors that had dared to enter known mermaid waters. They hadn't entered by choice, but they had still gone into the mermaid's hunting territory.

She had known that he was different from the others right away. It was the way he moved, the way he held himself, the manner of his speech. She chose to keep him safe from her sisters, though it had been falling rocks that she ended up rescuing him from.

Of course, getting caught hadn't been part of the plan. She had just wanted to keep him safe and then return to her sisters, but instead she was captured. Ironically enough, it had been the very man she had been trying to save that caught her. She didn't hold it against him though. He had been fearful of his life, thinking that she was like her sisters, so he had lashed out at her, enabling the other men to catch her.

During her imprisonment, she had learned that his name was Phillip, and that he was a clergyman. She wasn't sure what that meant, but she knew that it had something to do with serving his god. In any case, she had learned that she had been right in believing he was a good man. He defended her, he protected her, he even gave her a name, Syrena, to try and make the others see her as a person and not just a "creature", as they called her.

Obviously, that wasn't her real name, but she liked it and decided to keep it. He seemed to be able to look inside her and see the real her, not just what she was on the outside, and he had given her a name based on what he saw.

Needless to say, she had fallen fast, and as they spent more time together, it became apparent, even to the heartless Blackbeard, that he had for her as well. If she could, she would take him as her life mate, but, sadly, they were from different worlds.

Relationships between merfolk and humans was severely frowned upon. They were considered taboo and doomed from the start. Humans couldn't survive in the water, and merfolk couldn't survive on land. True, she could take on human form while on land, but she would need to constantly stay wet, other wise she would die, just as a whale or dolphin would.

This wasn't to say that all merfolk/human relationships failed. She had heard of one or two cases where a human decided to live on a boat to be with their sea dwelling lover, but such cases were shunned by both societies. The human was shunned by their own kind for consorting with a creature that hunted them, and the merperson was shunned by their kind for consorting with a creature most of them considered nothing more than food. Besides, merfolk were rare enough as it was, mostly due to mermaids greatly outnumbering the mermen, and their species was a monogamous race after all.

But none of those things mattered anymore. She had found her soul mate, and if he would have her, then nothing would stop them from being together, even if they were a human and a mermaid. If she was able to save his life in time, that is.

But it wasn't in her power to do this. She didn't have power over life and death. So she sought out someone who did, even though that person was almost as wicked as Blackbeard, and would surely demand a terrible price in exchange for his services. It didn't matter; she would pay the price, regardless of what it was.

Using her mermaid senses, she pinpointed what she was searching for. She was close now, hoping she still had time. It was fortunate her kiss had the power to temporarily save him from drowning; otherwise she may not have made it in time if she had to stay to the surface.

Breaking the surface, both she and her cargo breathed in air for the first time since she had pulled him under. "Phillip, we are here," she told him soothingly. "Hang on just a little longer."

Feeling dizzy from blood loss, he struggled to get his eyes to focus. He saw nothing but open-ocean as far as the eye could see in every direction. "There's nothing here," he mumbled.

"Wait for it," she replied. "Look at the sun."

Blinking a few times, he did as she said. The sun was setting, reaching the point where it vanished beneath the horizon line of the sea. As it seemed to disappear beneath the water, there was a flash of green light. Moments later, the water exploded as a grand ship emerged from the depths.

Even though she lived in the sea, Syrena, like most of her kind, had never seen the infamous Flying Dutchman. It was nothing like the stories described. The few merfolk that had seen it said that it resembled an ancient ship that had resided on the bottom of the ocean since the beginning of time. But not this ship. This ship looked as if it was newly made and had been built for a king.

"Hello, up there!" she called. "I request an audience with your captain!"

A few seconds passed by before a crewmember looked overboard. "Hey, Pintel, check it out. There are these two folks in the water."

"Don't be stupid!" Pintel replied. "There wouldn't be people out in the middle of the ocean. You must be seeing things."

"Not true," Ragetti objected. "Ever since Captain Turner gave me a new eye, I been seeing fine."

Pintel's face softened. "Aye, Captain Turner's a good man, taking us all on as his crew after Blackbeard sunk the Pearl. He even gave Cotton a new tongue."

"Ain't that the truth," Ragetti agreed. "Just like it's the truth that there are two people in the water."

Pintel rolled his eyes and went over to the railing. "Where?" He looked down, spotting Syrena and Phillip. Then he smacked Ragetti upside the head. "They ain't no people. That there's a mermaid and the poor bloke she snatched for a meal."

"He still lives!" Syrena shouted up to them. "Please, I must see Davy Jones."

The two men laughed. "Then you best swim down to Hell," Pintel told her, "cause that's where old fish face is right now."

Ragetti tapped on his friend's shoulder. "Wouldn't it be ironic if he ended up in his own Locker instead."

Pintel laughed. "Aye, that'd be a fitting end to him."

Syrena was confused. Were they saying that Davy Jones was dead? "Wait, what do you mean?"

"We got a new captain now," Pintel explained. "Captain Turner is in charge of the Flying Dutchman now."

Syrena blinked. The Dutchman had a new captain? This was certainly news to her. She wondered what type of person this Captain Turner was. He must have been something if he had been able to slay Jones. But regardless of that, she still needed his help. "Please, I must speak with him at once."

Looking bored, Pintel and Ragetti turned to a passing crewmember. "Oi, Marty, tell Murtogg and Mullroy to fetch Captain Turner."

"They're up in the crows nest," the four-foot crewmember replied.

"Then you go find him, and get Cotton to fetch Bootstrap."

Marty gave him an irritated look. "Fine, but you're not the captain, so don't expect me to be following your orders for the next 100 years."

As Marty walked off, Syrena continued talking to Phillip to keep him conscious. "Keep pressure on the wound," she told him, covering the cut with her own hand.

The missionary was terribly disorientated. "My whole lower body is numb."

She stroked his face affectionately. "I know, love. It'll all be over soon."

The captain arrived a short while later, occupied by his first mate, Bootstrap Bill Turner, his father. Syrena noted that the captain was actually a young man, and very handsome, though not as good looking as Phillip in her eyes. This boy had managed to kill Jones? The thought was preposterous. But it did explain the current state the Flying Dutchman was in since it, and its crew, reflected how the captain was on the inside. This boy was clearly nothing like Jones.

Will Turner raised his hand and the ship began to submerge. When the deck was nearly sea level, it stopped, and Will addressed the mermaid. "You requested an audience with me?"

Syrena nodded. "Yes, I have, captain."

Will studied her curiously. "It's not everyday I meet a mermaid. In fact, I dare say that you're the first one I've ever seen. So tell me, what is it you want?"

Syrena shifted Phillip in front of her. "I ask you to save the life of this man. He is a good man and does not deserve to have his time cut short."

Will looked surprised. "A mermaid asking me to save the life of a human? This is a first."

"Aye, captain," Bootstrap agreed, looking equally as surprised.

Will crouched down and held his hand out to her. Syrena hesitated before placing her hand in his. And for the next few seconds, he stared into her eyes before letting go.

"I see," he said, having looked into her life. He gave his father an amused grin. "They're acquaintances of our good friend, Jack Sparrow."

A bark of laughter escaped his first mate. "Should have seen that coming. How is old Jack?"

"The same as always."

"That bad, huh?"

Will smiled in amusement one last time before turning his attention to the missionary, instinctively knowing his name. "Phillip Swift, do you fear death?"

Simply being in the presence of the captain of the Flying Dutchman made Phillip feel the cold hand of death loosen its grip. "I do not."

Will raised an eyebrow. "You desire death?"

Phillip shook his head. "No, sir, but I do not fear it either. Everyone must die at some point."

Will cracked a smile. "Well spoken, but this doesn't have to be your time. Do you wish to live?"

It was getting hard to stay awake, and Phillip struggled to keep his mind focused. "I give myself over to God's will. May His will be done. If this is what's supposed to happen, then so be it."

Will nodded, impressed by the man's devotion. "Your faith is admirable, but that is not what I asked. Do you wish to live?"

"Phillip, please!" Syrena begged, her voice bordering on desperation. She couldn't bare it if he died.

Will held up a hand to silence her. "He must be the one to decide." He got eyelevel with the clergyman. "This is  _your_  life, Phillip. I admire your devotion, but do not forget that God granted us all freewill to live as we choose. It is  _your_  decision. It's what  _you_  want." He nodded at Syrena. "Not what she wants, not what I want, not even what God wants. The decision is yours alone, given to you through the freewill that God granted you. The choice is entirely up to you. You can die here and now, or you can have a second chance, a new life," he motioned to Syrena again, "with her. Now tell me, do you want to live?"

Phillip looked at the captain with the power over life and death, feeling as if he had received an epiphany. "Yes."

Will once again held his hand out to the mermaid. "Syrena, your hand."

This time she didn't hesitate before taking his hand. With his other hand, Will touched the tip of his finger to Phillip's chest, directly over his heart. A jolt went through the clergyman, and he felt as if he had just been struck by lightning.

A warmth began to spread through his body, originating from the place where Will touched him. He felt life flow back into him, his strength renewed. His wound closed, disappearing without a trace as if it never was, and his pain faded away.

"Phillip!" Syrena cried, frightened by the way his body jumped when the captain touched him. "Are you all right?"

He was breathing heavily as he struggled to recover from whatever it was that Will had done to him. "I feel… strange…"

"Not strange," Will corrected him, "different."

Placing his hand on Phillip's shoulder, he encouraged him to float on his back. Still feeling slightly disorientated, Phillip allowed the captain to guide him onto his back. A yelp of surprise left him as Syrena gasped loudly. He  _was_  different. From his waist down, he now had a fish tail similar to Syrena's, only his was blue.

"Did you do this?" he asked in shock. It was a rhetorical question.

"To allow you to truly be with the one you love," Will told him. "A new life, a new chance."

Syrena reached out and ran her hand up his new tail, her eyes wide with amazement. "Now you're like me," she breathed. This meant that they could be proper mates, without the merfolk/human taboo keeping them apart.

Phillip seemed to come to the same conclusion as well as his eyes locked with hers. "Syrena…"

She suddenly threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly as her tail wrapped around his. "Mine," she said possessively.

Phillip awkwardly returned the embrace for a while before gently prying her arms off him and taking her hands in his. "Syrena, I accept your claim on me, and I wish to claim you as well. Will you agree to be my wife?"

Her eyes widened in surprise, but she seemed confused. From what she heard of humans, his request meant going through what was called a marriage. She wasn't entirely sure what it entitled, but she knew that it was some sort of ceremony called a wedding where two people declared themselves as mates. Merfolk did not hold such ceremonies; they merely agreed to take each other as life mates. She was at a loss as to go about this wedding.

"I'm afraid I do not know what to do to become your wife," she confessed. "Merfolk do not have such ceremonies; they simply choose to become mates."

Phillip squeezed her hands tighter. "I would have you become mine in God's eyes, so that no one, mer or human, may say otherwise."

She still wasn't sure what he meant, but she got the general idea and readily agreed. "I would want nothing more than to be yours, and to have you as mine."

The clearing of a throat reminded them that they were not alone. "I've never done it before," Will told them, "but as the captain of a ship, I can perform a marriage, if you so choose."

Phillip and Syrena exchanged a look, the latter leaving the decision up to her chosen mate. Phillip thought about it. He would have liked to have gotten married in a church, but he wasn't sure he'd even be able to get to one with the way he was now.

"It would be an honor, sir."

Having overheard the situation, Pintel called out to the rest of the crew. "Oi, Captain Turner's about to wed these two!"

Will really wished he hadn't just announced that. As a captain, it may have been in his power to perform a marriage, but he had never done one before and didn't know how to go about doing it. The only experience he had was his own highly unusual wedding to Elizabeth during the final battle with Davy Jones and his crew. He decided to just go with Barbossa's example.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here on this day to unite these two in holy matrimony. Phillip Swift, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do," Phillip replied.

"Syrena," Will turned to her, "do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

Syrena blinked, not quite following the whole speech, but understanding it for the most part. He was asking if she was willing to pledge herself to Phillip forever, no matter what may come. "Of course I do! You need not even ask! I give myself to him entirely."

Understanding her naivety, an amused smile crept up Will's face. "A simple 'I do' would have been fine."

"I do!" she immediately replied loudly.

Will chuckled. "By the power invested in me as captain, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Syrena beat him to it, kissing Phillip before he could move in on her. She may not have understood everything a wedding entitled, but she understood that they now belonged to each other, both by human and merfolk standards.

Back up on deck, Pintel wiped a tear from his eye. "I've not been this happy since Captain Turner's own wedding."

Ragetti sniffed. "Me too. It's just a shame they'll meet the same tragic end."

Pintel glanced at him. "What you talking about?"

Ragetti motioned to Phillip. "Captain Turner saved his life. Now the clergyman must serve the Flying Dutchman to repay his debt. They'll still be separated from each other."

Syrena overheard this and broke the kiss. "What? You're taking him away from me?"

Bootstrap gave her a sad smile. "I'm afraid it's the rules. A debt must be paid for the favor. He must serve the Dutchman."

Will was silent, seeming to be thinking this over. "I'm afraid they're right." He paused for a moment. "Mr. Swift, do you see any other ships upon the horizon?"

Phillip looked confused. "Sir?"

Will made a circling gesture. "Circle around the ship, see if you spot any others."

Phillip exchanged a look with Syrena before doing as he was told, swimming awkwardly as he got used to his new tail. Once he swam around the ship, he returned to Syrena's side.

"I see nothing," he reported.

Will nodded. "Well done. You may go."

Confusion crossed Phillip's face as Will turned away from him. "Sorry?"

Will glanced back. "Oh, you're done. Your services are no longer required. You've served your duty to the Dutchman. You're finished."

Pintel and Ragetti exchanged a puzzled look. "What's up with that?" the former asked.

"I believe it's called a loophole," Ragetti replied.

Syrena grasped Phillip's hand, tugging on it gently. "Come, my love. We are free."

Phillip glanced at Will one last time. "You have our thanks." Then they both disappeared beneath the surface.

Back on board the Dutchman, Will turned to the crew that had gathered. "Back to your stations."

The crew scattered, though it was out of loyalty and not fear or mental influence as had been done by the previous captain of the ship. Will waved his hand and the ship rose out of the water to its normal height.

"That was a fine thing you did," Bootstrap told his son proudly.

Will gave him a sad smile. "There love is as strong and as pure as my own," he replied. "Even though they've only known each other a short time. I too knew from the first moment I saw Elizabeth that I loved her, and that she was the only one for me." His hand went to his scarred chest, feeling the absence of a heartbeat. "No one should be separated from the one they loved. So, yes, I healed him, changed him, and gave him a lifespan equal to her own. Everything I would have ever wanted with Elizabeth."

Bootstrap recognized the look on his son's face. Trying to console him, he placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You've already served the Dutchman for two years, just eight more to go and you can be with her again."

Will nodded sadly. Being captain of the Flying Dutchman was a heavy burden. He was given the duty to ferry the souls of those that died at sea to the next world. In exchange for his services, he was granted eternal life and supernatural powers, and every ten years, he could return to land for a single day.

It hadn't been a fate he had wanted; no, it was forced upon him. Or, rather, it had been that option or death.

It had happened during the final battle with Davy Jones. The former captain of the Flying Dutchman had stabbed Will in the chest and left him to die. It was Jack Sparrow that had saved him. He had taken Jones' heart that the tentacled captain had cut from his own chest. Placing a blade in Will's hand, he helped him stab the barnacle-covered organ, thus ending Jones' life.

As punishment, or blessing, depending on the person's point of view, the one who slayed Jones must take his place as captain. Will had been given eternal life after having his own heart cut out. Becoming the Dutchman's captain had purified the ship and the crew from Jones' wickedness, but doomed Will to be separated from the love of his life, the recently elected Pirate 'King', Elizabeth Swann, who he had married just minutes ago.

It had been two years since that day, two years since he last saw her, and eight more before he could set foot on land to see her again. To do so in less than ten years would mean his death, though there were certain loopholes, such as the time Jones stood in buckets of water while on land.

Will looked forward to seeing Elizabeth again every day. Yet beneath all that excitement, there was a sliver of fear and doubt. Ten years was a long time. He was afraid that when he went to meet her that she might not be there. It wasn't that he thought that her feelings would change; he had the utmost confidence in their love. But doubt of anything was natural, no matter the certainty. And the source of his doubt came from a case very similar to his own.

Bootstrap took notice of the change in his son's demeanor. "What's wrong, son?"

Will glanced at him, wondering if he should voice his concerns. "It's nothing, just a fleeting thought."

Bootstrap leaned against the railing. "I'm willing to bet that it's a lot more than nothing. Come on, talk to me, son."

Will sighed. "It's just… sometimes I'm afraid that when I do go ashore to see Elizabeth again, that… that…"

Bootstrap figured out the rest and finished for him. "That she won't be there?" He received no response. "Do you really think that she would do that to you?"

"No!" Will immediately replied defensively. "I know she'll be there. I believe it with all my heart."

"Then why the doubt?"

Will was silent for a moment. "Because I can't help but think that Jones felt the same way. Like me, he had complete faith in Calypso and their love, believing that she would be there when the time came… but she wasn't."

Bootstrap immediately understood what ailed his son. They all knew the story of how Davy Jones was betrayed by the sea goddess Calypso, who he had loved with all his heart and soul, and whom he believed loved him in return. As a favor for her, Jones had become the captain of the Flying Dutchman. He served faithfully for all ten years, believing he would see his love again when the time came. But when the day arrived for them to be together again, she never appeared.

Overcome by anger and grief, Jones became a cold-hearted individual. He no longer performed his duty of ferrying the souls of those that died at sea, leaving them to find their way to the afterlife on their own. To escape the pain of the betrayal he felt, he cut his own heart out and locked it away in the Dead Man's Chest. Lacking a heart, he became even crueler, corrupting his purpose as captain of the Flying Dutchman. As punishment for failing to perform his duties, he became a monstrous creature, a hybrid of a man and creatures of the sea; a fate that was shared by his ship and crew as they became infected by Jones' cruel nature and influence.

Though Will didn't believe it would happen, the smallest bit of fear remained that history would repeat itself and he would experience the same heartache that Jones had felt. But Bootstrap would not allow such pointless fears to bother his son.

"Listen to me, Will. Your situation with Elizabeth is completely different from the one with Jones and Calypso. She will be there for you, just as I'm sure Calypso would have been there for Jones if she had been able to."

Will gave his father a confused look. "What do you mean?"

Bootstrap wondered how he should explain things. "How much do you know about the Greek gods?"

"I'm not Greek."

That made his father chuckle. "Do you at least know of the war between the titans and the gods?"

Will thought about it. "Not really, just bits and pieces. Weren't the titans the gods' parents, and weren't they overthrown by their children?"

"More or less," Bootstrap replied. "In ancient times, there was a war between the gods and the titans. Do you know of Atlas?"

The name sounded familiar. "Yes, isn't he the one that holds up the world, or something?

Bootstrap nodded. "A fate he received after the war. I don't know if there's any truth to that, but I do know that Atlas was a titan, and Calypso was his daughter. And during the war, she sided with her father over her fellow gods and goddesses."

This was news to Will. "But the gods defeated the titans."

"Aye. The titans lost the war, and Calypso was punished for siding against the gods. Her punishment was that she could never be with those she loves." He looked Will right in the eye. "That's why she never went back to Jones; because she couldn't. But Jones was too blinded by pain and grief to accept that. He let his anger consume him and cut out his heart to escape his sorrow, and he became a monster because of it. He wanted only to cause Calypso the same pain, the same feeling of betrayal that he felt. That's why he told the first Brethren Court how to bind her in human form so they could rule the seas without her interference. But it was really all for revenge."

Will was silent for a long time. Finally he found his voice. "I never knew the whole story behind it all. Jones may have been a villain, but he was a tragic villain."

His father sighed. "It's just as you told that young man, the choices are ours alone. We're all responsible for our own decisions. Jones made his when he turned to corruption, Calypso made hers when she sided with her father, I made mine when I chose to do nothing when Barbossa and his men declared mutiny, Jack made his when he chose servitude to the Dutchman in exchange for the Pearl, and you and Elizabeth made yours when you chose each other." He placed his hands on his son's shoulders. "You and Elizabeth are not Jones and Calypso. You're story will not have a tragic end. I feel this in my bones. Have faith in your love. She will be there for you when the time comes. And when your love is shown to have remained true after the ten year period, then, if you wish it, you may choose to stay with your love and return to a mortal life back on land."

A smile grazed Will's face as his father's words removed all traces of fear and doubt from his mind. He placed a hand on his father's shoulder in gratitude. "I wish for nothing more than to live a full life from her. I will take back my heart, and my mortality." His grin widened. "And when that time comes, if  _you_  wish it, I will name you captain."

His father's eyes widened. But slowly a smile crept up his face. "Bootstrap Bill Turner, the immortal captain of the Flying Dutchman, sailing the seven seas for all eternity." He snickered. "I must admit that I like the sound of that."

"Just make sure to do the job, or you'll go back to the way you were before."

Bootstrap shuddered. "No, I was very glad to get that starfish off my face. I wouldn't want to end up like that again. I'll definitely do the job, and do it correctly."

"Then you'll accept?" Will asked. "You're under no obligations, and are free to turn down the offer. I could always give the position to someone else."

Bootstrap laughed. "You think I'd turn down an opportunity like this? I gave up everything to spend my life at sea. Now you're offering me the opportunity to sail it forever. There's no way I'd pass this up." He winked at his son. "No way, sonny. It's a pirates life for me."

**THE END**

**Author's Note:**

> (A/N: Yay, my first pirates story. Now you have your answers to what becomes of certain characters. It was a popular fan belief that Will would be able to return to land after the 10 year period and would name his father captain. I used them to reveal Day Jones and Calypso's backstory. I didn't make up that part about Calypso's involvement in the titan/god war, or her punishment for it. Finding that out explains why she wasn't there for Jones. I suppose he was extra pissed about her not returning to him because she knew she couldn't and it would trap him on the Flying Dutchman for good. As for Phillip and Syrena, two of the most common beliefs of what became of them were that either she brought him to the Dutchman to save him or she turned him into a merman. The later theory is actually found in mermaid legends. I decided to combine the two theories. So, did anyone like my story? Should I keep brainstorming for another one? Feedback!)


End file.
